Sarah Alexander: My Me And Mrs Jones character isn’t a cougar at all

Sarah Alexander talks about her new show Me And Mrs Jones, relationships with big age gaps and why she liked doing Tommy Cooper impersonations as a child.

Sarah Alexander stars in Me And Mrs Jones (Picture: Rex)You play the lead character in new sitcom Me And Mrs Jones. What’s the series about?

A single mum with three kids. She works and has an errant ex-husband who is still in her life. She’s trying to bring up her kids and get by as most parents do. There haven’t been many guys in her life for some time and suddenly she has the interest of a single dad at school and her son’s 24-year-old friend.

She’s quite ditzy in the first episode. Is she supposed to be endearing or irritating?

Hopefully, endearing. She’s not thick, she’s pretty bright, but like most mums it’s difficult coping with the pressures of school projects, bringing up kids and going to work. It’s the classic cliché of not having enough hours in the day to do everything, which is why she’s quite chaotic. She’s just trying to do her best.

Have you worked on any school projects recently?

When my kids were in the school play for the first time I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought material, wadding, dyed T-shirts and purple tights so I could say I made the octopus costume myself. I could have found one online but you put these pressures on yourself – and I did a chicken that had yellow rubber gloves for feet.

Have you chilled out a bit since?

I did after the chicken. I did it the night before the play and was up at 4am finishing it. I’ve cooled down a bit but I think it’s a bit of a cheat if you just go and buy it – but I’m also aware I’m a bit of an idiot and life’s too short.

What’s the worst date you’ve been on?

There was this thing from a film where a guy opened the car door for the girl, this was in the days before central locking, and he went around the back of the car to get to his door – if she’d lent over and flipped his lock up by the time he got to his door she was considered a contender. Someone did that to me – and I did flip his lock up – and when he got in he told me this story and said I’d passed the test. I just thought: ‘See ya.’

What’s your view of age-gap relationships?

Every which way is good if you find love. I’m a believer in love – it’s all good as far as I’m concerned. Every size, age – whatever. As we were filming the series, the subject was on my mind, so when I walked along the road, I’d see a young handsome guy and think: ‘Is it OK, aged 41, if I think he’s handsome? How am I seeing him? Sexually? As if I’m his age? As if I’m my age and he’s his age? What way around is it and is this cool?’ and I concluded the answer is ‘yes’.

Has the show turned you into a cougar?

My husband’s a year younger than me, if that qualifies. The character isn’t a cougar at all. It’s just something that’s happened to her.

You used to do Tommy Cooper impersonations as a child – what inspired that?

I was around three and I’d watch him with my dad and we’d laugh – probably for completely different reasons. I had a fez and tried to do impersonations. It was the beginning of me watching comedy on telly.

Your parents weren’t happy about you going into acting – when did they come around?

My dad was a TV director/producer and my parents knew out-of-work actors who’d turn up at the pub skint or come around for Sunday lunch and they probably didn’t want that life for their daughter. I suppose when I was doing Smack The Pony and Coupling and didn’t stop working for a few years until I had the children they thought I was doing all right and could pay the bills.

Who have you learned the most from working with?

Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong when I worked on their sketch show. I learned how to come up with characters quickly, to think on my feet and how to enjoy it. The secret of comedy is enjoying it. If you’re not laughing, it’s not going to be funny.

What’s the worst job you’ve had?

Filing at the Ministry of Defence. I was a temp and you go through this vetting process then end up in a claustrophobic building where every office and corridor looks the same. It was full of men in suits who all looked really unhealthy. It was as if everyone was nearly dead. It certainly inspired me to work harder at being an actor.

Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

I had my fortune told once at the Great Wall of China. A withered old lady told my fortune – but it was probably one of these things that are set up to rip-off tourists. She told me a couple of vague things that came true but she was probably just lucky. I would never do it again.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?

I want to invent an app. I’m very inspired by the Hailo taxi app. It’s brilliant. You can get a taxi to wherever you are in five minutes. I’m trying to come up with something myself. I have no idea what it might be yet but, when I do, the world will know.Me and Mrs Jones is on BBC1 on Fridays at 9.30pm.